DOHA: After three decades of rendering healthcare services to the people in Qatar, the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) on Sunday launched a new corporate brand identity which reflects the organisation's rich heritage, significant achievements and future aspirations. The new branding is in tune with HMC's modern view of medical care which includes, apart from healthcare, education and research as key pillars.
Along with the new brand identity, HMC also revealed an all-new attractive colour theme and logo which departs completely from the old one. Since 1979, HMC's famous logo had the rod of Asclepius- an ancient Greek symbol associated with medicine and healing- two palm trees and a dhow, depicting healthcare in Qatar.
The new logo has three leaves arranged in circular shape on a blue background with the name "Hamad" forming the central part of the new logo. HMC was established in 1979 by Emiri Decree and named in honour of the late Sheikh Hamad bin Abdulla Al Thani, the grandfather of the current Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
"The three medicinal leaves symbolise the healing hands of our medical care teams - doctors, nurses and health professionals," said Dr. Hanan Al Kuwari, HMC Managing Director, revealing the new brand identity. "The leaves are in a circular shape to demonstrate that HMC strives to encircle the patients and ensure its care and support remains focused on providing quality medical care and professional manner."
"The circular motion of the leaves also reflect our never-ending pursuit of excellence and our commitment to continuously improving our services. Supported by our new identity and our strategic direction, HMC is providing an ideal environment for the development of new and improved medical practices while continuously raising standards in the regional healthcare sector. We continue on this path in order to meet the expectations of our leadership and the patients who rely on us," she said at the launch event attended by senior HMC officials.
The green on HMC's new logo depicts peace, renewal, hope, growth and life, which are all important values to both HMC and its patients. The blue in the logo represents health, knowledge and communication which explain the importance placed by HMC on improving the health of its patients, in learning and education, and in sharing the organization's knowledge and values.
The new brand also provides each hospital with its own special colour to reflect the particular type of medical care it provides like the pink colour of Women's Hospital. This is pursuant of HMC's new decentralised management system in which each hospital is given increased authority and responsibility for the management of its facility and services to meet the standards set by HMC. All hospitals will carry the same values and colours reflected in the three pillars to underline the fact that they are part of the largest medical healthcare organisation in Qatar.
However the new logo does not depart from Qatar's traditional values. The three medicinal leaves are inspired by the country's rich local history and important relation between nature and medicine.
Keeping its stride forward, HMC will witness important developments this year which will include the opening of Cardiac Tower in late summer, launch of a new dialysis center, development of emergency services, construction of a nursing building in April and the introduction of fixed appointment system at Hamad General Hospital and other hospitals.
Hamad General Hospital's Walk-in Clinic at Emergency Department (ED) will open at the end of the month devoted to patients who do not need emergency medical intervention. The service will ease the pressure on the ED. It will be followed by a project to develop and re-organise the emergency system with the new fiscal year in April.
By Huda NV
© The Peninsula 2010
